Can XRP Be Used To Fight Spam Email? Here’s a Proposal

Before he died, Stephen Hawking once said “we are all now connected by the internet, like neurons in a giant brain”. It is true, we are. The internet has had a direct impact on everyone who uses this vast “neuron like network”. Not only did it improve efficiency but it has made our lives more productive and useful. Technopedia defines the internet as a “a globally connected network system that uses TCP/IP to transmit data via various types of media.” Like the blockchain, the internet is completely decentralized and a “peer-to-peer (P2P) communication network.”

Free Email Brought Spammers

Everything else constant, it is this communication that underpins everything that we do. Any form of communication should have an element of speed and that is what internet brought. One of the earlier applications of the internet was the email. The email allowed users to exchange information from anywhere in the globe. However, with great use (now that is it free), advertisers as well as marketers continue seem to abuse it, harvesting email addresses and consequently clogging email inbox not only wasting our time during clean up but exposing users to viruses and potential hacks. Others have been conned off their hard-earned money. As a result, it is our duty to devise ways to make it hard for spammers to do what they do best as we contribute towards benefiting the internet community.

XRP as a Tool For Fighting Spam Emails

Towards this end, a Redditor is suggesting a way of preventing inbox spamming by integrating XRP. In the post, he said XRP—a native currency of Ripple, is “perfect for paid email.” He proposes a bold move that will once and for all stamp out spammers introducing a fee for every mail sent and the need for seeding every KYC approved email linked XRP wallet with 20 XRPs limiting the number of accounts a potential spammer can open. KYC, he says will “increase the advertising value of the email account and is what prevents people from being able to set up what you call “ghost” email accounts.”

To go about this, he proposes implementation to be done in stages. The pilot phase would strictly allow Ripple to Ripple communication. After that and if the initial test phase shows result, Ripple can negotiate with other email providers. Upon agreeing, users will create accounts embedded with Ripple wallets where use is dependent on amount of XRP in those wallets. From there and if interested, other users can opt-in, embed their email with an XRP wallet allowing them to receive paid emails from advertisers at their defined rates. They can also use the same email to send payments as if they were an XRP wallet.